So I took some quality advice (thanks, paults) and ordered my Kemper today through Sweetwater (after having my sales rep price match today's 15% off Musicians Friend sale).
Went for the unpowered rack with remote, should be arriving tomorrow (in time for the weekend!).
Was a little on the fence about getting the remote, but I figured since it has somewhat limited availability as a separate item it would be hard to get a discount on it if I did decide I wanted one down the road.
Just a little bit about me, in case anyone is dying to know:
- Early 30's American (midwestern) male.
- Creative professional by trade (designer).
- Been playing guitar (if you can call what I do playing) since I was 13. Also muck around with bass and various other instruments.
- Lifelong music lover with a deep affection and appreciation for a wide variety of styles and genres. Favorites include: folk, lo-fi, ambient, doom/sludge, funk & soul, bluegrass, drone, grindcore, experimental, garage-rock, post-rock, various strains of world music... the list goes on.
- Self-taught DIY recording enthusiast. Especially enjoy weird and homemade instruments/sounds.
- Been in some fun bands, founded/ran a small record label for a short time.
- Took some time off music when I bought a small rural farm property in 2009, but now I'm back and looking to get back into music in a more focused way.
My initial experience on these forums has been tremendous. Can't wait to get to know you all better, and heaven help you all once I get access to the full forums. 
Now get some sleep before it arrives 
